The people of North and East Syria came together to say a final farewell to three fighters from the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ – a female fighting force affiliated to the Syrian Democratic Forces) who were tragically killed in a Turkish drone strike in Manbij (Minbîj) on 15 September.
The people of Manbij, along with representatives of political parties and members of civil and military organisations in the region, gathered to pay their respects and attend the funeral of Nûcan Ocalan, one of the victims of the attack.
Large crowds attended an official ceremony in the city of Kobanê on Sunday to honour the memory of and for the burial of Canda Cûdî, organised by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).
The YPJ announced the loss of YPJ commander Şervîn Serdar and two other fighters in a statement on Saturday, accusing Turkey of using tactics that violate the norms of warfare.
In the statement, the YPJ defined Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as an enemy of women’s rights and of free will, and drew attention to the timing of the attack, which coincided with the anniversary of the assault of Islamic State (ISIS) on Kobanê. They argued that this date underlined Turkey’s continued support for ISIS.
The YPJ, an all-female military force formed in April 2013 and composed primarily of Kurds but also including various ethnic groups in northeastern Syria, operates as an integral part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The YPJ commander and the two fighters killed on Friday Friday had previously fought against the ISIS.
Turkish drone strikes against Kurdish forces in northern Syria have recently intensified, causing particular concern for civilians in the region as they target civilian administrators as well as military personnel, causing damage and casualties.
